Best Xianxia/Xuanhuan Novels

Best Xianxia/Xuanhuan Novels
List of best xianxia novels I've read. Novels sorted ranking-wise. No boring personality-less protagonists (excluding IET protagonists). No insane plot armors. No two-dimensional villains. Most either don't have harem, or have less focus on it.

Look into the comments for more recs as these books aren't shown on Novel Updates
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WhenDogsFly
Created: Feb 11th, 2021, Updated: May 15th, 2023
Created Feb 11th, 2021
Updated May 15th, 2023
CN (4.7)
113 Chapters Every 529.5 Day(s) 13251 Readers 375 Reviews 02-06-2019
#1 definetely. AMAZING novel. Klein Moretti will always remain one of my favorite mcs. AMAZING world-building. Very interesting cultivation system and as the plot unravels and you understand more and more of what is going on, the more you get amazed and hooked on. definitely recommended.... more>>
CN (4.3)
25 Chapters Every 601.4 Day(s) 12586 Readers 331 Reviews 09-19-2002
#1 VERY VERY evil mc. but not chaotic evil and more of 'neutral' evil. plot excellent. world building excellent. characters excellent. even the cultivation system is very innovative and refreshing! it has else you can ask for!... more>>
CN (4.1)
226 Chapters Every 353.9 Day(s) 12456 Readers 174 Reviews 10-18-2015
rank #2. Er Gen novel Genuinely good weak-to-strong plot. MC rises from nothing and carves his own path. Most people must've read this. To a xianxia beginner I'll recommend this as a good starting point.... more>>
CN (4.1)
73 Chapters Every 19.6 Day(s) 789 Readers 32 Reviews 06-15-2023
rank #2. Another high quality er gen work is out baby! Though currently still ongoing, I'm loving this novel so much
CN (4.6)
101 Chapters Every 408.4 Day(s) 6032 Readers 130 Reviews 09-29-2023
rank #3. It's not xianxia per see. MC remains ordinary human being. but the ghosts around him can become stronger and mc befriends/hires ghost as his haunted house employees on his quest to solve the mystery behind his missing parents. VERY good plot.... more>>
CN (4)
100 Chapters Every 520.3 Day(s) 21749 Readers 495 Reviews 04-25-2016
rank #4. Western fantasy setting. MC has his AI as a golden finger which transmigrated along him to his current life.... more>>
CN (4.2)
18 Chapters Every 221.1 Day(s) 18918 Readers 198 Reviews 03-08-2015
rank #5. my first xianxia webnovel! this is IET's best work in my opinion. recommended to xianxia beginners.... more>>
CN (4.1)
44 Chapters Every 638.3 Day(s) 8210 Readers 120 Reviews 01-29-2017
rank #6. very long. I haven't finished reading this. Mc is a hybrid cultivator, both a refiner and battle-type cultivator (which is rare becuz unlike other novels, the author actually sticks to the mc being a weapon refiner and doesn't forget it halfway through). novel is definitely recommended... more>>
CN (4.5)
0 Chapters Every 3738 Day(s) 13374 Readers 183 Reviews 01-01-2014
rank #7. IET novel. Almost every beginner xianxia reader starts with this. Mix of western and chinese elements. ... more>>
CN (4.4)
48 Chapters Every 660.7 Day(s) 19681 Readers 341 Reviews 08-05-2015
rank #7. Er Gen novel. money-grubbing and cunning mc. i love mcs with distinctive personalities! one of my earliest xianxia webnovels so this is my personal bias.... more>>
CN (3.8)
39 Chapters Every 202.1 Day(s) 13946 Readers 212 Reviews 12-16-2015
rank #7. from same author as Martial World. much less 'primordial yin' bs in this story. mc only has one wife in this story and they both grow strong together!! love this type of trope! plot quality same as Martial World (i.e. very good)... more>>
CN (4.1)
106 Chapters Every 619.7 Day(s) 17764 Readers 195 Reviews 03-28-2016
rank#8. Author loves objectifying women and the women in this book are nothing more than tools to satisfy men's pride. even if they are talented... more>>
CN (3.7)
112 Chapters Every 382.3 Day(s) 3610 Readers 62 Reviews 04-27-2018
rank #8. World-Hopping novel. MC goes to different worlds with different cultivation systems to get stronger.
CN (4.4)
40 Chapters Every 280.5 Day(s) 7216 Readers 189 Reviews 12-14-2018
rank #8. MC transmigrated into the mmorpg he was playing and he uses past knowledge and through the game interface to get stronger. Interaction with... more>>
CN (4.4)
32 Chapters Every 177.5 Day(s) 16669 Readers 241 Reviews 01-21-2017
rank #9. Er Gen novel. funny and lighthearted novel in contrast to Er Gen's other works (ignoring his latest work as that one is tr*sh).... more>>
CN (3.9)
50 Chapters Every 187.2 Day(s) 13605 Readers 145 Reviews 08-18-2016
rank #10. MMORPG novel (first try reading this if you're new to this genre). mc is reborn. his game character is thief/assassin. i loved the... more>>
CN (4.5)
315 Chapters Every 116.4 Day(s) 11390 Readers 162 Reviews 08-16-2019
Unranked. Not becuz it's bad but becuz I don't really remember much of this. I only remember liking it very much at that time. Not... more>>
CN (3.9)
113 Chapters Every 226.3 Day(s) 5963 Readers 67 Reviews 05-15-2017
Unranked. another Er Gen novel. tragic mc. mc's past is slowly unraveled throughout the story as he gets stronger. maybe you'll like it? maybe u... more>>
CN (4.1)
0 Chapters Every 3423 Day(s) 12496 Readers 128 Reviews N/A
Unranked. um ya another IET novel. lighthearted. read this to pass your time.
CN (4.1)
7 Chapters Every 447.3 Day(s) 9425 Readers 76 Reviews 09-06-2015
another lighthearted novel. read to pass time to avoid indulging in intricate conspiracies and lesser plotholes with moderately good storyline
CN (4.1)
318 Chapters Every 24.8 Day(s) 14087 Readers 149 Reviews 04-25-2023
Unranked. hmmm heavy plotholes in the story and mc's sword is op. also not fully translated. but storyline is pretty good and funny
Comments (5)
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  1. WhenDogsFly
    WhenDogsFly· Author · Aug 7, 2023 08:38 AM

    Extra Recs (All of which are VERY good, perhaps even better than the ones on the list. Also, all are non-harem):

    1. Cradle by Will Wight

    Incredible series, incredible characters and amazing plot. Protagonist is an underdog that rises to the top, defying all odds. I would say it is equivalent to Rank #1 of the this list.

    2. Mech Touch by Exlor

    This is my most favourite series EVER. If you are bored of the usual fighter progression/cultivation, this one is for you! It follows the cultivation journey of a Mech Designer! Insanely long (5000+ Chapters). Also, lots of action, adventure and kingdom-building. MC develops lots of cool mechs and other gadgets and he soon proves why he is so unique among all the other mech designers and mech pilots. My personal favourite, so I highly recommend it! I would rank it #1 on the list.

    3. Defiance of the Fall by J.F. Brink

    Litrpg but filled with elements of Xianxia and Cultivation. Also, Dao comprehension! A big plus if you love that. This would be Rank #2 on the list.

    4. Shadow S*ave by GuiltyThree

    Absolutely amazing series. Perhaps you will like this more than any other series I've recommended, as I've seen that most people do. Not much to describe, go check it out! I would place it at Rank #2 on the list.

    5. Beneath the Dragoneye Moons by Selkie Myth

    Litrpg. Female protagonist. Follows a healer instead of a fighter. But MC does take an active part in a lot of fights. Loved it. Would place it at Rank #3 on the list.

    Reply · 1 Like · ·
  2. Daresan
    Daresan· Mar 28, 2021 10:03 PM
    All are good for xianxia but unfortunately already read them all.

    A record of mortal's journey to immortality, Divine throne of primordial blood, Death scripture should be on this list
    Reply · 1 Like · ·
  3. Teney
    Teney· Nov 11, 2022 07:11 PM

    If I found every one, besides Lord of the Mysteries, of those novels to be complete shit, can someone recomend at least one wuxia/xianxia/xuanhuan novel that might be decent? Within those three genres but with the writing of Book of Malazan or GoT... I find this genre to be interesting, i am hooked, but the writing style, lack of character development, lack of logic, brainlessness, idioticy, s*upidity, moronity of those novels are at a level that no normal person, that has gone through puberty, can endure. 

    Reply · ·
    • WhenDogsFly
      WhenDogsFly· Author · Nov 13, 2022 04:34 AM

      read cradle by will wight.

      PS: this is translated content. you will never get GOT level writing. 

      Reply · ·
    • Teney
      Teney· Dec 1, 2022 02:30 PM

      @WhenDogsFly Thanks for the recomendation!

      As for the translation quality, its not about grammar or anything like that. This list has several titles that use chewed through phrases like "courting death", cheap metaphors like "frog in a well" and pseudo intelligent enlightments/speeches.

      They appeal not to intellect, adventurism, selfgrowth or curiosity, but to satisfaction from revenge and satisfaction from stepping on others.


      This is what I meant with bad writing.

      Reply · ·